Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method comprising: initiating, between a first computing device and at least a second computing device, a conference, wherein the first computing device is connected to the conference via a cellular network and the second computing device is connected to the conference via a non-cellular network; receiving, at an audio input device, audio input, wherein the audio input is received during the conference and the audio input device is in communication with the first computing device; transmitting, to the second computing device, the audio input; identifying, in the audio input, a command for activating a virtual assistant; in response to identifying the command: activating the virtual assistant; and automatically stopping the transmission of the audio input to at least the second computing device; receiving, at the audio input device, a query comprising a search query; receiving, from the first computing device, an indication of a low quality network connection; based on receiving the indication of the low quality network connection, transmitting, from the first computing device to the second computing device, the search query; receiving results of the search query at the second computing device; and transmitting at least a portion of the results of the search query to the first computing device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein: the audio input device is a first audio input device; receiving the audio input further comprises receiving the audio input at a second audio input device, wherein the second audio input device is in communication with the first computing device; transmitting the audio input further comprises transmitting the audio input from the first audio input device; automatically stopping transmission of the audio input further comprises muting the first audio input device; and receiving the query further comprises receiving the query via the second audio input device.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second audio input device is a smart speaker.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein: the audio input device is a first audio input device, and the first computing device is in communication with a second audio input device, the method further comprising: receiving, at a third audio input device, a second audio input, wherein the second audio input is received during the conference and the third audio input device is in communication with the second computing device; and, in response to an input: enabling the second computing device to transmit the second audio input to the second audio input device; identifying, in the second audio input, a second command for activating the virtual assistant; activating the virtual assistant in response to identifying the second command; receiving, at the third audio input device, a second query; and performing, based on the second query, a second an action via the virtual assistant.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein: initiating the conference further comprises initiating the conference between the first computing device and a third computing device, wherein the conference comprises audio and video components that are transmitted between all of the computing devices of the conference; transmitting the audio input further comprises transmitting the audio input to the third computing device; the query comprises a request to initiate direct audio communication between the first computing device and the second computing device; and, in response to the query: the transmission of the audio component of the conference between the first and second computing devices and the third computing device is stopped; and a direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device is initiated.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, in response to the query to initiate direct audio communication between the first computing device and the second computing device: transmitting the request from the first computing device to the second computing device to initiate the direct audio transmission; and wherein: initiating the direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device further comprises initiating the direct audio transmission in response to the request being accepted.
7. The method of claim 5, further comprising: identifying a hierarchy of conference participants; and, in response to the query to initiate direct audio communication between the first computing device and the second computing device: identifying whether the requesting participant is higher in the hierarchy; and: if the requesting participant is higher in the hierarchy: initiating the direct audio transmission further comprises automatically initiating the direct audio transmission; or if the requesting participant is at the same level, or lower in the hierarchy: transmitting the request from the first computing device to the second computing device to initiate the direct audio transmission; and initiating the direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device further comprises initiating the direct audio transmission in response to the request being accepted.
8. The method of claim 5, further comprising: generating for display, at least one of the computing devices, a representation of the participants in the conference; and, in response to initiating the direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device: updating the representation of the participants in the conference to visually indicate the direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the conference is a video conference or an audio conference.
10. A system comprising: a communication port; a memory storing instructions; and control circuitry communicably coupled to the memory and the communication port and configured to execute instructions to: initiate via the communication port, between a first computing device and at least a second computing device, a conference, wherein the first computing device is connected to the conference via a cellular network and the second computing device is connected to the conference via a non-cellular network; receive, at an audio input device, audio input, wherein the audio input is received during the conference and the audio input device is in communication with the first computing device; transmit, to the second computing device, the audio input; identify, in the audio input, a command for activating a virtual assistant; in response to identifying the command: activate the virtual assistant; and automatically stop the transmission of the audio input to at least the second computing device; receive, at the audio input device, a query comprising a search query; receive, from the first computing device, an indication of a low quality network connection; based on receiving the indication of the low quality network connection, transmit, from the first computing device to the second computing device, the search query; receive results of the search query at the second computing device; and transmit at least a portion of the results of the search query to the first computing device.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein: the audio input device is a first audio input device; the control circuitry configured to receive the audio input is further configured to receive the audio input at a second audio input device, wherein the second audio input device is in communication with the first computing device; the control circuitry configured to transmit the audio input is further configured to transmit the audio input from the first audio input device; the control circuitry configured to automatically stop transmission of the audio input further is further configured to mute the first audio input device; and the control circuitry configured to receive the query is further configured to receive the query via the second audio input device.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein: the audio input device is a first audio input device, and the first computing device is in communication with a second audio input device, the system further comprising control circuitry configured to: receive, at a third audio input device, a second audio input, wherein the second audio input is received during the conference and the third audio input device is in communication with the second computing device; and, in response to an input: enable the second computing device to transmit the second audio input to the second audio input device; identify, in the second audio input, a second command for activating the virtual assistant; activate the virtual assistant in response to identifying the second command; receive, at the third audio input device, a second query; and perform, based on the second query, an action via the virtual assistant.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein: the control circuitry configured to initiate the conference is further configured to initiate the conference between the first computing device and a third computing device, wherein the conference comprises audio and video components that are transmitted between all of the computing devices of the conference; the control circuitry configured to transmit the audio input is further configured to transmit the audio input to the third computing device; the query comprises a request to initiate direct audio communication between the first computing device and the second computing device; and, in response to the query, the control circuitry is further configured to: stop the transmission of the audio component of the conference between the first and second computing devices and the third computing device; and initiate a direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein, in response to the query to initiate direct audio communication between the first computing device and the second computing device, the control circuitry is further configured to: transmit the request from the first computing device to the second computing device to initiate the direct audio transmission; and wherein: the control circuitry configured to initiate the direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device is further configured to initiate the direct audio transmission in response to the request being accepted.
15. The system of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: identify a hierarchy of conference participants; and, in response to the query to initiate direct audio communication between the first computing device and the second computing device: identify whether the requesting participant is higher in the hierarchy; and: if the requesting participant is higher in the hierarchy: the control circuitry configured to initiate the direct audio transmission is further configured to automatically initiate the direct audio transmission; or if the requesting participant is at the same level, or lower in the hierarchy: transmit the request from the first computing device to the second computing device to initiate the direct audio transmission; and wherein the control circuitry configured to initiate the direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device is further configured to initiate the direct audio transmission in response to the request being accepted.
16. The system of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: generate for display, at least one of the computing devices, a representation of the participants in the conference; and, in response to initiating the direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device: update the representation of the participants in the conference to visually indicate the direct audio transmission between the first computing device and the second computing device.
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July 1, 2025
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